Bank Card Thefts ‘Soaring at ATMs’

Attempts to steal people’s bank cards and Pin codes while they are using cash machines have tripled over the past year, according to figures. Financial Fraud Action UK says there were 7,525 incidents in the first four months of the year, compared with 2,553 in the similar period in 2012.

Types of card fraud

Type

What is it?

How prevalent?

SOURCE: FINANCIAL FRAUD ACTION UK

Card not present

The thief obtains card details, but not the card itself, and uses them to make purchases online, or by phone or mail order.

The most common type, but has been on the wane since 2008 due to measures such as secure code verification. 2011 total losses: £221m

Card lost/stolen

The thief steals the actual card to use in shops without chip-and-pin, or for telephone, internet or mail order purchases.

At its lowest level since 1991, largely due to chip-and-pin technology. Incidents have risen sharply this year. 2011 total losses: £50m

Mail non-receipt

A newly delivered card is intercepted, typically from a communal letterbox or if the recipient has moved.